12-6-2018
OLYMPIA, Wash. — State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s campaign against no-poach clauses in employee contracts expands again, now covering 39 corporations with franchises in Washington and nationwide.
No-poach clauses prevent workers from going to competing franchises of the same chain for better pay, which economists believe contributes to stagnating wages.
Of the five new additions, only La Quinta and Merry Maids have locations in Whatcom County.
The others include Batteries Plus Bulbs, Comfort Keepers and Edible Arrangements.
La Quinta and Edible Arrangements stopped the practice before the investigation, but joined the other corporations in signing legally binding commitments to remove the clauses from existing contracts and not use it in the future.